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dagrev · ‎2024-08-21

Hey All, I've been using this system for 4 yrs. I updated the phone app months ago and after that two of my newer cameras do not record to my local storage as before. (Or noticed it then.) Other cameras continue to record and vids can be accessed as always. I don't know what caused the newer cameras to stop recording but I now get a message saying I need to "subscribe to access this feature." I'm lost on why I need a subscription to record to my own local device. Does anyone have an idea? (All settings are set to for local recording and recording works fine for the older cameras.)

Thanks for any advice anyone may have!

jguerdat · ‎2024-08-22

That message seems to imply that the cameras don't have a subscription. If you're using activity zones, remove them since those require a sub.

As for not recording to your hub, try removing one camera and set it up again as if new.

dagrev · ‎2024-08-22

Thank you for the suggestions. I removed activity zone from on camera and that made no difference. Reinstalled one camera a day ago and that didn't help either. I just removed activity zone and that didn't help. If I click on the "0" (number indicating stored events) I get the "Get unlimited cloud storage for 30 days with Arlo secure. Subscribe now to get this feature" button.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

StephenB · ‎2024-08-22

@dagrev wrote:

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

I think we need more information.

Can you tell us whether you see "Library" in your app menu? Or whether you see "Feed" and "Dashboard" instead?

Can you double-check the camera models, and let us know which models are working and which are not?

You can do this either by

opening the camera, removing the battery, and looking at the label inside. or
going into the support area of the app, selecting the camera, and scrolling down to the product ID field.

On (2), if you see only see an Hxx code, then you are looking in the wrong place.

Also, let us know the hub model you are using. Look for a VMBxxxx label on the hub.

dagrev · ‎2024-08-22

Thank you for the suggested guidance.

On the web I only see "Feed." This does record the older Pro 2 cameras just fine (but not the Pro 3). Same for the Android app.

1. Pro 3 cameras are the ones not being recorded/saved. (Cameras are a pain to get to so hopefully Pro 3 will be sufficient).

2. The Hub is VMB4540.

I just deleted and reinstalled one of the Pro 3s (no zones set up), restarted the Hub and still get the message I need to subscribe.

Again, the Pro 2 cameras record just fine, and show up in "Feed."

Thank you.

StephenB · ‎2024-08-23

@dagrev wrote:

On the web I only see "Feed." This does record the older Pro 2 cameras just fine (but not the Pro 3). Same for the Android app.

1. Pro 3 cameras are the ones not being recorded/saved. (Cameras are a pain to get to so hopefully Pro 3 will be sufficient).

2. The Hub is VMB4540.

"Feed" is only for Arlo Cloud recordings. You access locally stored recordings by

go to the devices page
go in settings for the camera
press on "Storage Settings"

FWIW, I think this is a bad design, and that the local recordings should show up in the "Feed". But Arlo didn't ask my opinion.

You are seeing recordings in the Feed for the Pro 2 cameras because those cameras were sold with 7 days of free cloud recordings.

dagrev · ‎2024-08-23

Thank you for the reply.

I'm not sure "Feed" is only for Arlo Cloud recordings. I can see these and have never subed to Arlo for anything, cloud or otherwise. Additionally, they are several yrs old and where at the house when we bought it. I'm not sure why I would be getting a cloud service I am not and have never paid for (because I bought and use the local storage option). Seven days would have obviously expired long ago and prior to me, so I'm thinking this isn't what is happening.

I can access my locally stored recordings--but only for the older Pro 2 and not the Pro 3. I used to be able to see from all four cameras, but about the time/right after of the phone app update I was only able to see recordings from the older Pro 2 cameras.

I cannot get to storage setting via a camera setting. This is my path:

Home> Devices> Gull Base Station> Storage Settings> Local Storage Settings

The storage is on "Ready" and is recording (but only from the Pro 2s. I have even reformatted the storage drive to no avail.

Thank for offering suggestions. Please correct my thinking I have have something wrong.

StephenB · ‎2024-08-23

@dagrev wrote:

I'm not sure "Feed" is only for Arlo Cloud recordings. I can see these and have never subed to Arlo for anything, cloud or otherwise.

It is certainly the case. Read this article:

https://kb.arlo.com/000062817/How-do-I-view-videos-saved-on-local-storage-Arlo-Secure-4-0

Pay particular attention to the screenshot, which shows where the recordings are found. Note also that local recordings are only shown in the app. They can not be played back from the browser (my.arlo.com).

Your old Pro cameras were sold with 7 days of free cloud storage. So no subscription is needed for them. But Pro 3 cameras (like all currently sold cameras) were not sold with that, and you need an Arlo Secure subscription to get any cloud storage with those models.

@dagrev wrote:

Home> Devices> Gull Base Station> Storage Settings> Local Storage Settings

The storage is on "Ready" and is recording (but only from the Pro 2s. I have even reformatted the storage drive to no avail.

When did you purchase the Pro 3 cameras?

What base station do you own? Look for a VMBxxxx label on the base.

Only the two smarthubs (VMB4540 and VMB5000) support playback of local recordings.

The VMB4000 and VMB4500 hubs support local recording but do not support playback. If you have one of those bases, then every recording you see in the app is stored in the Arlo Cloud.

dagrev · ‎2024-08-23

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate it and the desire to help on this.

I confess to being confused. If "Feed" is only for cloud storage, do you know why I am able to see "Feed" and playback recordings I never paid for via a cloud subscription? They can't be on the cloud as I have never paid for this. This is in part why this is confusing.

They can not be played back from the browser (my.arlo.com).

I can also play them back on the web/browser. Arlo may say otherwise, but I just did it again to confirm.

Your old Pro cameras were sold with 7 days of free cloud storage. So no subscription is needed for them.

More confusion on my part here as 7 days of cloud would be years ago. (And I was able to do so until a couple months ago.)

But Pro 3 cameras (like all currently sold cameras) were not sold with that, and you need an Arlo Secure subscription to get any cloud storage with those models.

I bought these about 3 yrs ago. Never bought a subscription and could always see what was stored to my local drive, until recently.

Only the two smarthubs (VMB4540 and VMB5000) support playback of local recordings.

The Hub is VMB4540. I can see it fill up as events happen, and have never subed to anything and been able to see and playback my events, until recently. Maybe there was some kind of glitch on Arlo's end, but I have always been able to playback the history of triggered events from all four cameras.

Thanks again for any suggestions. I would really love to get all four working as they were a couple months ago.

StephenB · ‎2024-08-24

@dagrev wrote:

Your old Pro cameras were sold with 7 days of free cloud storage. So no subscription is needed for them.

More confusion on my part here as 7 days of cloud would be years ago.

No. "7 days" means 7 days of retention (rolling storage). So the app and the browser should always be showing the most recent 7 days of recording.

@dagrev wrote:

I confess to being confused. If "Feed" is only for cloud storage, do you know why I am able to see "Feed" and playback recordings I never paid for via a cloud subscription?

I already explained that. You got some rolling cloud storage for free with the Pro/Pro 2 cameras.

Once again:

Pro and Pro 2 cameras (among others) were sold with 7 days of rolling cloud storage, which Arlo still provides for those cameras.
Pro 3 cameras did not have this feature, and require a subscription to get any cloud storage.
Playback of local recordings in the app requires a VMB4540 or VMB5000 (which you have)
You cannot (and have never been able to) see local recordings in the browser, no matter what cameras or base you have.

When using the old interface (which shows "Library" in the app menu), you could select the base and see local recordings in the app. Only in the app though, not the browser.

But that has changed in the new interface (which shows "Feed" and "Dashboard"). With "Feed" you need to go into the navigate into the storage settings as I said above.

@dagrev wrote:

Your old Pro cameras were sold with 7 days of free cloud storage. So no subscription is needed for them.

(And I was able to do so until a couple months ago.)

Are you saying you no longer see recordings from these cameras in "Feed"?

Also, just to confirm - you are not seeing local recordings in the "Storage settings" for the VMB4540 base when you look in the app?

KartDude · ‎2024-08-26

I have three Essential Spotlight Cameras and two Ultra Cameras. I also have a VMB4540 Base Station. About mid July my wife and I noticed that on our iPhones that we are not able to access the local recordings when we are outside of our home network. When we are inside of our home network, we can access the recordings. I am able to access the recordings on my iPad which is connected via WiFi when I am outside of the network.
I contacted Arlo support and they suggested that I check the Port Forwarding options on my Linksys Router. I noticed that Port Forwarding status on my iPhones says "Not Available", but on my iPad it says "Available". I tried several times to "Refresh Ports" and reconfigured and restarted my router and got the same results.

Finally Arlo support reported that this is a known issue and they are working on it. I am suspicious that they are really "working" on it because this is not a revenue generator and they have been "working" on it for over a month now.
Are you looking at the local recordings both inside and outside your local network?

dagrev · ‎2024-08-26

Thanks again for taking another stab at this. Thanks for clarifying the 7 day storage. (I was thinking of the free online storage I was given when I bought the other new cameras that expires, and did long ago in my case.)

I went to Base station then storage settings to see events. (I believe this may be the convoluted way of navigation that you referred to previously.) If so, previously I could tap the event number in the image from a given camera on the main or home page/screen. If this is the new way to get there is it poorly thought out (understatement), and where/which camera the events is not listed as before. But I am able to see events from the newer cameras, I just have no idea which camera until I click and download the event recording. I also notice I only have the option of "today" with respect to events being recorded. There should be several days on the local storage.

Maybe another way of wording it: If I have not ever been able to see/playback local recordings, maybe the question is, what changed so that only now (years after the new cameras were added), I can no longer see and playback recordings I once could with no subscription regardless of where stored? I always believed I was seeing what was on my storage (because I never paid for any cloud), but given what you said this was not the case, and I certainly trust your information. If not the case, how was I able to see/playback the recordings from the newer cameras, but this only recently changed? This is what is really confusing, something changed and it had nothing to with cloud storage I never had except that which expired years ago. Is this simply part of the update/improvement you mentioned?

FYI:

Enable Port Forwarding is on, but status not available. (Not sure it that helps or is indicative of anything or not. I mention it in case it is meaningful.)

Thanks again for your time an advice. It is appreciated, though I am questioning another system at this point!

dagrev · ‎2024-08-26

Interesting about the known issue. Our issues may be different, I just know a couple months ago seeing events from all my cameras was very easy.

StephenB · ‎2024-08-26

@dagrev wrote:

But I am able to see events from the newer cameras, I just have no idea which camera until I click and download the event recording.

That was true before. Limitation of local storage include

recordings only available in the app (not the browser)
recordings only available from the primary account (not friend accounts)
no thumbnails, everything needs to be downloaded to the phone before you see anything
no ability to make manual recordings or take snapshots
remote access requires router setting changes that some find difficult.

@dagrev wrote:

Enable Port Forwarding is on, but status not available. (Not sure it that helps or is indicative of anything or not. I mention it in case it is meaningful.)

There is a bug in the iPhone app - port forwarding doesn't work in that app at the moment. Arlo is aware of it, but hasn't said when they will fix it.

So if you are using port forwarding, then you can only see recordings when you are connected to your home wifi.

@dagrev wrote:

I only have the option of "today" with respect to events being recorded. There should be several days on the local storage.

You should be able to see 30 days from the app. If you have older recordings than that, you can eject the storage using the app, and then connect it to a PC and view it there.

@dagrev wrote:
Maybe another way of wording it: If I have not ever been able to see/playback local recordings, maybe the question is, what changed

In the old interface, you would go to the Library page, and then select the base station at the top banner to see the local recordings. I agree that was better.

dagrev · ‎2024-08-29

Thank you for the help.

Sounds like it is what it is due to Arlo fixing it until (at least this aspect) it is almost useless compared to before. I hate to say it, but this is a compelling case to consider other camera system options. I'm sure they all have certain quirks, but Arlo worked just as I wanted until a few months ago. That is no longer the case. Possibly they will fix their "improvement" and seeing various events will be easy as before. Thank you again.

KartDude · ‎2024-08-29

I agree with you.

dagrev · ‎2024-08-29

Hopefully Arlo is listening. Since I have no subscription I can't contact support to voice concerns directly. That I have noticed anyway.

ShayneS · ‎2024-09-04

Hi all,

Are we still experiencing these symptoms?

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